Ed Murray/The Star-LedgerThe Diamond Superfund site on Lister Ave in Newark in a 2006 photo.

Lisa Jackson, the former New Jersey environmental chief who heads the federal Environmental Protection Agency, will tour two of the state’s most troubled toxic sites today and meet privately with stakeholders.

Jackson’s first stop will be in Pompton Lakes, where she will meet with residents living on and near a plume of polluted groundwater emanating from the former E.I. DuPont Co. explosives plant. In December, state health officials announced they found higher than normal rates of cancer among residents living in the Passaic County borough.

Jackson also plans to meet with the Passaic River Community Advisory Group about removal of contaminated sediments from a section of the river near the Diamond Alkali Superfund site in Newark.

APA 2009 file photo of Lisa Jackson, head of the Environmental Protection Agency."She’s coming in to see people on a couple of projects that she’s been interested in," EPA spokeswoman Mary Mears said. "She had been recused from those issues during the first year of her time at the EPA."

Jackson had been commissioner of the state Department of Environmental Protection for three years before becoming EPA chief in 2009. She had to recuse herself from involvement in state environmental issues during her first year at the federal agency.

Since the state cancer report was released, Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-8th Dist.) has been urging Jackson to personally investigate the DuPont site, where both the state and EPA are monitoring remediation efforts.

"I said the situation in Pompton Lakes is a serious public health concern and needs immediate attention from the EPA," said Pascrell, whose district includes Pompton Lakes. "Lisa was recused at the time, but she promised to make Pompton Lakes a priority and she’s doing that."

Pascrell will join Jackson at the Pompton Lakes Elks Club where they will meet with residents this morning. The EPA has already been investigating concerns about the effectiveness of venting systems DuPont installed for free in the homes around its former plant to remove toxic vapors rising from residential basements.

Residents also have pressed the EPA to place the site on the federal Superfund list, which could trigger an infusion of federal funding.